baked potato chips + dip / February 14, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

most baked potato chip recipes direct you to heat the oven to 400°. so like an obedient direction follower i did. to my disappointment my chips would inevitably blacken, burn, and (on one occasion) catch fire. so i'm sure you can imagine how happy i was when i found a solution to my charred chip problem. the solution is a lower oven temperature. duh? i don't know why i never thought of that. the result, i must say, is pretty awesome. frank and i were super proud of ourselves when our hard (potato-slicing) work had finally paid off! we ended up with some pretty perfect potato chips - crispy, and crunchy chips that were lightly golden. however, if you're looking for a Lays-type of a potato chip this is not the recipe for you. if you are looking for a chip that's closer to a Terra Chip (but not as greasy) then stay tuned and give this recipe a shot. {side note: i used white yams, but any potato works here}

initially, i was not planning to do a chips + dip post, but i had some greek yogurt in the fridge and thought it would be a nice addition. for the dip i used 0% Fage greek yogurt, alternatively you can totally use 2%, or full fat - up to you. (for a vegan alternative you can easily substitute your favorite vegan sour cream.) again, if you're looking for a traditional sour cream and mayo-type dip, this is not the dip for you. the dip highlighted here is super tasty, but not heavy at all. additionally, it's low in calories and fat-free :) hopefully you will enjoy this almost guilt-free snack food.

**make sure to pay attention to how thin you slice your potatoes and how long you bake them. obviously the thinner you slice the shorter you bake and vice versa. also, if you're using a mandolin, be careful! i nearly sliced off the tip of my finger off last year. since then i have invested in a de buyer mandolin. while it was much pricier than the OXO ones, it was well worth it...

:: for the chips ::

2 potatoes (i used white yams)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons dried parsley

ground pepper

coarse sea salt

:: for the dip ::

1/2 cup (6oz.) of 0% fat greek yogurt

2 teaspoons dijon mustard (my favorite is Maille)

1 shallot finely chopped

salt and fresh ground pepper

:: makes about 60 chips ::

pre heat oven to 300°

line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper

:: directions ::

using a mandoline or a knife, slice potatoes thin

combine the potatoes and olive oil until each slice it coated with oil

add paprika, parsley, salt and pepper, mix until combined

spread the slices on the parchment lined baking sheets, try not to let them touch or overlap

place the baking sheets in the oven

bake for 30 minutes - 1 hour depending on your oven and how thin you sliced your chips (some of my chips were stubborn, so the baking process took a little over an hour)

while the chips are baking, mix: yogurt, chopped shallot, dijon mustard, salt and pepper until combined

refrigerate the dip and stir before serving

the chips are ready when they are slightly browned and their edges are curled

:: enjoy ::

♥ whoopie pies! / February 12, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i have been meaning to make these whoopie pies for a while now and thought valentine's day was a perfect excuse to do so. we live across the street from Baked, a bakery known for all things sweet and indulgent. occasionally frank will get one of their whoopie pies, and even though i cannot eat them, i always find myself taking a bite (and then regretting it). the cake is light, moist, and not too sweet. while the cream is smooth and buttery, and also not too sweet. after tasting some other whoopie pies in and around brooklyn, frank and i both believe that Baked has mastered the art of the whoopie pie! why might you ask i try to remake something that is already perfect? i'm not attempting to outdo the Baked whoopie, i am merely trying to make a whoopie pie that i can eat without feeling ill. some might be scared that these pies are grain-free, and gluten-free (these can easily be vegan if you replace the eggs with ground flaxseed),and that the cream is completely vegan. but fear not, frank (the man has no dietary restrictions whatsoever) has tested the whoopie pies (3 of them, in one sitting!) and he has given them his solid stamp of approval ✓

adapted from Health-Bent

:: makes 16 cookies and 8 whoopie pies ::

pre heat oven to 350°

line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

**just a note on the coconut milk. do not shake the can. the top half of the can is where the "full fat" coconut milk resides. i usually get 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk out of a single can. you will notice a watery looking liquid when the full fat is gone.

:: directions ::

2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)

1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon powder

1/2 cup full fat, canned coconut milk

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

whisk all the dry ingredients until combined

then add the coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla - mix

using a cookie scoop (i didn't have one so i used a tablespoon), scoop even amounts of the batter onto the lined baking sheets. make sure you leave at least 2 inches between each cookie

bake for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through

:: vanilla bean cream ::

3/4 cup palm shortening

3 tablespoons coconut oil

3 tablespoons raw honey (you can also use powdered sugar, or agave)

1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

in a bowl, beat the shortening, coconut oil, vanilla bean/extract, and honey with an electric mixer. beat for 2-3 minutes or until ingredients are combined and creamy

**let the cookies cool completely before assembling with cream

put as much or as little cream between the cookies, i put about 1/4 inch of cream - i may use more next time

i stored my whoopie pies in the fridge and took them out 15-20 minutes before serving

:: enjoy ::